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Chanukah, or Hanukkah, has an interesting history. It celebrates the rededication in Jerusalem of the holy Temple.
It begins on 25th day of Kislev, which is the Hebrew calendar. Kislev is actually November/December in the Gregorian calendar which is used by Christians and much of the world. Meaning “dedication,” the word “Hanukkah” celebrate their victory over the Syrians. Their Greek King, Antichus, outlawed the rituals of the Jews from the year 168 B.C.E. to 165 B.C.E. The Holy Temple had been seized and the worship of Zeus was to take place there. Most of the Jews were angered and fought to get their Temple back.
Mattathias, a Jewish High Priest, became outraged after hearing of a group of villagers who were forced to bow to the idol of the Greeks and eat pig. He killed several soldiers, and more with every chance he had, and then went into hiding with his family.
After a year of fighting, Mattathias was dying and put his son Judah Maccabee in charge of creating a strong army to fight the Greeks. The Jews had won over the Greeks after three years of rebellion. But Judah and his soldiers were sad when they found many religious items missing or broken. This included their sacred golden menorah.
They decided to clean up the mess, repair what they could, and finish it all off when a dedicated ceremony. One thing they wanted to do most of all was to light their beloved menorah. But they only had enough oil to light it for one day. As history tells it, the menorah stayed lit with only that bit of oil for eight days. They believed this to be a miracle, because during these eight days they were able to secure more oil to keep the menorah glowing with light. Today Jews celebrate Chanukah for eight days, remembering the eight-day miracle, and by lighting one candle of the menorah for each of eight days.
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History with your
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